Best Sewing Machine for Free Motion Quilting 2020

Updated: April 29, 2020

Once you have completed your first quilt, you must be looking to learn the free motion quilting in order to add a finely finished quilt sandwich. Free motion quilting requires particular features from your machine, which, when absent, will give mediocre results and make the entire process tedious and exhausting.

If you are looking to upgrade your sewing and quilting skills by learning free motion quilting, you must have a sewing machine that is capable enough to give you just that. This is why we have decided to help you with a review of our top pick of sewing machines we recommend for free-motion sewing.

Our how-to choose section contains a step by step instruction on what to look out for when choosing the best sewing machine for free-motion quilting.

Best Sewing Machine for Free Motion Quilting – Top 5 picks of the Year

Top 1 – Brother Sewing and Quilting Machine (CS6000i)

This is a more advanced sewing machine built uniquely to optimize quilting in addition to the regular sewing processes. It is a heavier and more powerful machine than the XM2701.

The CS6000i has an impressive 70 built-in unique stitches with seven different styles of auto-size buttonholes. The device features the usual automatic needle threader that, in several ways, eases the sewing process by taking out the often frustrating job of threading the needle. The needle threader seamlessly pushes thread through the needle with an easy-to-use, jam-resistant drop-in top bobbin.

With all the extra stitches, an LCD screen became necessary to ease the process of choosing the stitch to use. Two buttons situated right by the screen can be used to navigate and select the stitch of your choosing.

The machine has an impressive table with a wide platform for convenience. It also comes packed with a protective case that can be used to protect the machine when it is not in use. A number of other vital accessories are also enclosed, including ten sewing feet, a needle set as well as three bobbins.

Pros:

LCD display for easy navigation

Efficient and convenient workspace

70 built-in stitches

Vital accessories for free quilt stitching

Automatic threader and Jam-resistant bobbin

Protective Case

Cons:

Heavy machine

Quite Expensive

Top 2 – Singer Heavy Duty 4423 Sewing Machine

Any sewing enthusiast and veteran would know the Singer name as they represent top-quality machines. The Heavy Duty 4423 is no different, with a simple and elegant design.

The machine is built with an extra powerful motor that lets it handle heavy-duty projects with ease. It features an adjustable presser foot pressure that lets fabrics of varying texture to slide over with ease. 23-stitches built-in stitching gives additional comfort to the usual sewing process, letting you choose from preset stitches that you need without any guesswork. An automatic 1-step buttonhole maker is also included.

The Heavy Duty 4423 features a built-in needle threader as well as a drop-in bobbin for a smooth threading process. The machine is highly durable with a solid framework made of heavy-duty metal that ensures the component part is held in perfect alignment.

The product also features an automatic reverse, which ensures that the sewing occurs automatically in reverse to reinforce the stitches, with no extra work from you. This machine is also compatible with the Singer sewing assistant app available for your phone.

Singer’s Quantum stylist is a computerized sewing machine packed full of exciting new features with an upgrade on the old, vital ones. The impressive part is that the machine still retains a compact structure.

An impressive collection of 600 stitches is available on the computerized machine, ready to help you reach any creative goal, the selection includes basic, stretch, and decorative stitches both for sewing and quilting. The otherworldly sewing speed is another part of the 9960s wonder; it is capable of making 850 stitches per minute, with great precision and a smooth flow.

The machine features an automatic needle threader, of course. With an extensive selection of accessories that makes creative work lively and super easy. The accessories include an all-purpose foot, a zipper foot, a buttonhole foot, a button sewing foot, blind hem foot, satin stitch foot, embroidery foot rolled hem foot, and so much more.

A large back-lit LCD screen makes the machine easy to navigate. A number of other automatic features make the machine special when it comes to convenience. This Quantum stylist 9960 is sure to bring your imaginative ideas to live with comfort and style.

Pros:

Optimum power control

Automatic threader

An incredible selection of built-in stitches

High presser foot lifter

Automatic Locking stitch function

Impressive durability

Cons:

Complex to learn to use

Expensive

Top 4 – Singer Start (1304) Free-Arm Sewing Machine

The last product on our list is the Singer Start 1304, designed exclusively for beginners. It is a downstep from the other sewing machines featured on the list, but it also is the easiest to use and while still retaining impressive capability for free motion quilting.

The machine features just the six basic stitches to help a beginner get into motion without being overwhelmed by a myriad of choices. Unfortunately, it doesn’t have an automatic threading feature like the others, but a simple guide is illustrated on the right to guide beginners on how to thread the needle.

The Singer Start still retains the durable, heavy-duty framework that is characteristic of Singer sewing machines. This ensures skip-free sewing. In addition to the six built-in stitches, the machine has a 4-step buttonhole maker that automatically makes buttonholes in 4 simple steps. It also features three basic presser feet that are capable of carrying out basic sewing processes.

Pros:

Durable, heavy-duty frame

Light and very portable

Capable of carrying out basic sewing processes with ease

Automatic built-in reverse stitch

Preset Stitch Length and width

Dual spool pins for twin needle sewing

Cons:

Lacks automation

Very few preset stitching

Top 5 – Brother (XM2701) Lightweight Sewing Machine

This lightweight sewing machine from brother holds true to its name, weighing just 12.6 pounds. It is very portable and exquisite. It is minimalist in design with an LED display that illuminates the workspace and gives light to the work process—adding extra elegance along with its brightness.

The XM2701 features 27 unique built-in stitches to help ease your sewing process as you can easily pre-select the stitching style you need, the stitches include all the vital ones like a blind hem, zigzag, stretch stitches as well as decorative stitches.

The product has an automatic needle threader and drop-in bobbin that helps you thread your needle perfectly with minimal effort. The drop-in bobbin is reliable and jam-resistant, so you can rest assured you won’t get into a frustration work session on this machine.

The machine comes fully packaged with essential accessories not just for free motion quilting but as many different sewing styles as possible. With six sewing feet, a 3-piece needle set, a twin needle four bobbins, as well as an instruction manual and DVD.

Pros:

Extra sewing feet for free motion quilting

Automatic needle threader

Jam-resistant bobbin

27 different preset stitches

Bright LED to aid sewing

Auto-size buttonhole

Cons:

May not sit well for pros

How to Choose the Right Sewing Machine for Free Motion Quilting

Presser Foot

While in making free-motion quilts, the feed dogs are disengaged to give more fluidity to the quilts enabling you to make more creative stitches not limited by the feed-dog’s straight-line stitch. But this also brings on an additional problem of static fabric since the feed dog is also in charge of automatically sliding the fabric over.

To solve this, a quilting foot is required to replace the usual multi purpose presser foot. These are capable of moving the fabric with each stitch. They are often referred to as the hopping feet, as a testament to their peculiar ability to hop with every stitch made.

Throat Plate

A single hole throat plate offers more support and gives the fabric an easier gateway for penetration. Your throat plate has to be wide enough to give room to maneuver the fabric to achieve the desired stitching pattern during quilting. And that is why the single hole throat plate is a vital accessory to your free motion quilting endeavor and an accessory that must be included in your new sewing machine’s package.

Built-in Stitches

A sewing machine with a good number of built-in stitches opens up the world of creative flexibility where you can easily select a stitch from a built-in collection. In regards to free-motion stitching, the availability of pre-built stitches speed up your learning process and help you make exceptional designs with ease and comfort.

Automation

Automation in a sewing machine offers incredible convenience that takes care of small but tedious activities for you while you can focus more on the creative aspects of your sewing. An automatic threader, for instance, takes care of threading your needle with minimal effort from you. Everyone knows threading a needle can be odious, it requires extreme focus and dexterity.

The amount of automation a particular machine features usually influences its price. Another incredible automation is the automatic reverse stitching that adds a reverse stitch to your fabric, automatically reducing your workload by half.

Stitching Rate

The stitching rate of a sewing machine is measured in stitch per minute (SPM), and your machine’s SPM rate automatically puts a room over how good you can get at free motion quilting. It is ideal to choose a swift machine with a high SPM rate as this will ease your sewing process by offering fluid and precise stitching when quilting.

Conclusion

A great sewing machine would make the sewing process extra fun – an activity that you will look forward to. A poor sewing machine makes the process tedious and more work than play. Not to mention the freedom needed to make free motion quilting. Hence, the need to know exactly what to look for when getting a new sewing machine for your free motion quilting.

With our buying guide and review, we hope to have helped push you on the right path to choosing the most valuable sewing machine amidst the hoard in the market.

Top Reviews

The best wedge pillows will make your sleep more comfortable. It is a therapeutic pillow that can be effective against snoring and acid reflux, among other health problems. This pillow can also improve blood circulation. It can effectively minimize neck, shoulder, and … Read more

Your sleeping position could be the underlying culprit of your neck pain. Changing your sleeping position could make a huge difference, as stomach sleepers are more likely to wake up with neck pain.
While sleeping on your back or on your side could avoid neck pain, … Read more

Your body’s position is crucial in your overall sleep quality. This will also help minimize the chances that you will suffer from excruciating pain when you wake up.
Investing in the best orthopedic pillows is a must. Also called therapeutic pillows, they are … Read more

Owning a good quality knee pillow can bring more comfort and help improve your overall sleep experience, especially for side sleepers. A knee pillow offers the right amount of support to your knees when sleeping on your side. However, it can offer relief to the hips and … Read more

Watching TV while you are in bed is one of the best ways to relax, especially after a stressful day at work!
However, it can also be uncomfortable. To make the experience better, there is one thing that you will need – the best pillow for watching TV.
The right … Read more

If you love to do a lot of things while relaxing on your bed, such as reading a novel, playing a game, working on your iPad, and any more, then you should consider owning a bed rest pillow. While nothing feels better than watching late-night TV shows on the bed, without … Read more

Elevating foam wedges, or elevating leg rests are cushions with the intent to promote circulation and proper spinal alignment to reduce the risk of lower back pain.
These leg elevating pillows function by supporting your lower spine and coccyx's natural … Read more

Popular Posts

In previous years, the adjustable beds are often used in exclusive places such as hospitals. But now, a lot of people are opting to use these products at home because of the incredible benefits they offer. If you are anything like me, then you'd wonder what is the best … Read more

It is tough to get some sleep when you've got the chills. It could get so frustrating, you may just want to pile blankets on yourself to feel better. But, stuffing in fluffs until you are almost drowning in your bed is not the answer. What you need on a freezing night … Read more

Purchasing a new mattress can be quite a hassle considering the marketing hype, which makes it even more challenging to sift out the attributes of the mattress.
On the market today, there are thousands of different models touted to utilize several layers for making … Read more

We spend about a third of our lives sleeping, which means the mattress is an integral part of our lives. Therefore, using the wrong product can influence your productivity and health. This is probably one of many reasons people believe "adulting" can be a bit … Read more